Bike Spotting: Electric-Assist Urban Arrow Cargo Bike

16Oct

I’m not a mom. Unlike Cherie and other parents I’ve been chatting with lately, I don’t have kids that I need to drop off at school in the morning, or to take to soccer practice, swim lessons or dance class in the afternoon. And yet I find cargo and family bikes intriguing, like this Urban Arrow I spotted parked in downtown Palo Alto.

At first glance it looks like just another variation on the traditional Dutch bakfiets (box bike), this time with a hard foam box instead of wood. A closer look reveals much more: a factory electric assist motor. That sounds like a winning combination to me. After all, not all parents are like the unstoppable Emily Finch of Portland, who’s determined enough to carry her six kids and way to much cargo on her box bike.

The Urban Arrow looks long, but it’s about the same length as a traditional bakfiets. The passenger box can be replaced with a cargo box, or the box section can be replaced with a new front end to form a standard bike.

The passenger box is made from the same high-density foam found in bike helmets.

Like any proper European bike, the Urban Arrow has integrated lights.

The electric motor sits right behind the pedals for stability.

Oops. This isn’t a chain guard. I took photo of wrong side of the bike so no idea whether it’s chain or belt driven.

A classic Brooks saddle adds a classic touch to a modern design.

A generated rear light and lots of reflectors make an impression going as well as coming.

The Urban Arrow has a motor that directly powers the crank. Thru the (covered) chain the rear wheel is driven. Most conventional Cargo Bikes (like Bakfiets.nl) have a motor in the front wheel. The series 2014 Urban Arrow gets a Bosch motor and there are some improvements at the frame. Rolling Orange Bikes in Brooklyn, NY is Urban Arrow dealer. The new series will arrive around April 2014.

Nearly 32,000 Americans die in car crashes annually. 80% of car crashes are PREVENTABLE. If the TOASTER was killing that many people we'd think it was ridiculous. We'd un-plug it and say, let's Fix The Toaster.